The Acting Chairman then called the attention of the conference to Act. No. 399, which received the approval of the Governor on the 20th of July, 1917. The law had practically been unheralded, but its execution would revolutionize conditions in all the counties of the State. The Act provides for the division of the State into nine Districts, containing from five to ten counties, in each of which Districts there shall be established an institution to which all convicts, sentenced to a term of ten days or more, may be sent. It seemed to be formulated with a view to the general betterment of the prisoners confined in the county jails. The fact that there was no clause making it compulsory to send prisoners to such institution was regarded as a weak feature.
General discussion followed. There were many present who had not seen the law, or even heard thereof. There was a general opinion that this law should be carefully considered before the conference should come to a settled conclusion.
Secretary Votaw hoped that at least one of the nine Districts would give the experiment a fair trial. It was evident that existing conditions in the county jails would have to be changed, and the officials ought to be warned that some action must be taken. Was there any better proposition to be considered? Since the Allegheny penal farm already contained five or six hundred acres, and since most of the adjoining counties were already sending many of their prisoners there, paying at rate of 50c. daily per prisoner, he suggested that the District in which this workhouse was situated might readily convert this institution into one of these Industrial Farms. While at this institution to which convicts from Pittsburgh are sent, it seems possible to put ten-day, and even five-day, prisoners to some profitable work, it would be poor economy to transport ten-day prisoners from the more distant counties to said District Farm.
Mr. McGarry raised a question as to the disposal of existing jail properties.
Secretary Votaw said that they would be still needed for short termers and persons awaiting trial, but that portions of such jail property might be profitably disposed of. Very often the county jail stood on rather valuable real estate which might sometimes be sold for sufficient to meet the county’s quota on the new District Institution. To illustrate that existing prisons must still be used as places of detention, it was shown during the meetings that at the recent visits of Secretary Votaw in his capacity of Official Visitor, one third of the inmates in thirteen of the larger counties were being detained for trial. It is to be hoped that the problem of furnishing employment to the untried prisoners may be found.
Mr. Louis Wolf was inclined on first reading of the bill to think that it would prove impracticable.
It was explained that this Act might have imperfections, but that it was really the only solution of the problem of employment for prisoners as far as conditions existed in this Commonwealth. If the products of convict labor are not allowed to be sold in the market some other way must be devised to set these idle people to work. In these times of dire stress, not an ounce of energy should be lost. Our Government needs the labor of every man, good or bad, in order to increase the production of food supplies, and for manufacturing purposes. Wherever the farming proposition for prisoners had been fairly tried there was no indication of receding. Reports from most places where prisoners were employed in agricultural pursuits were enthusiastic. In the State of Massachusetts misdemeanants are generally sent to Bridgwater Industrial Farm where, under efficient management, several hundred acres of land, thought to be almost worthless, have been reclaimed, and now are returning a large yield of fruits, vegetables and grain crops. In the State of Indiana within the last three years a farm of about 1200 acres has been purchased by the State, to which now all misdemeanants sentenced to a term of sixty days or more in the county prisons are to be sent. It is at the option of the Court whether those sentenced for shorter terms shall be sentenced to this farm prison. Eventually it is thought this farm will be entirely self-supporting. There were many escapes the first year, but since a law has been enacted making it a penal offence to escape or to endeavor to escape the number of fugitives has greatly decreased. The proposition is not new and is being tried out with greater or less success.
Inspector W. B. Meetch, of Dauphin County, said that the prison at Harrisburg just now had a population of 207, of whom 53 were sentenced to a term of sixty days or more. These men might be available for farm work, but the Court is averse to the principle of parole. However, he was inclined to believe that the privileges of free men should be denied to the wrongdoer in order that there might be some contrast between the condition of the law-breaker and the man who was observant of the rules of justice. He would exercise great caution in reference to presenting them with the opportunities to escape. Men were sent to prison to be punished.
It was pointed out that the modern idea did not wholly discard the element of punishment in the treatment of criminals, but, for the benefit both of society and the individual, placed extreme emphasis on efforts to reform the wrongdoer and furnish him with incentives to become a useful member of the community instead of a perpetual menace. There is the publicity of a trial, the confinement to certain limits whether behind walls or within other definite limits, the restraint of a discipline to which a free man is not subject. This is regarded as sufficient punishment in these days. We have discarded the stocks, the pillory, cropped hair and the striped suit. The disgrace is sufficient without these barbaric accompaniments. In the effort to treat the criminal as a human being very much like the rest of us, since we all acknowledge that we have sinned, modern methods have found the best remedy for the restoration of the prisoner. If we treat him as an outcast, he will remain an outcast who will harry the community to the end of his days. Above all, cease to detain him in idleness, which is the worst remedy for immorality of any sort.
Warden Wm. A. McIlhenny, of Harrisburg, stated that there was no land owned by Dauphin County which was available for the employment of his prisoners. The county farm was limited in size and was cared for by the regular inmates of the County Poorhouse. He had no doubt that if the law allowed prisoners to work on other than county land, some kindly disposed land owners would freely grant land for such purpose.